The present invention concerns a cooking receptacle for household use, more particularly a steamer provided with an opening for filling water into a main reservoir.
A steamer according to the prior art generally comprises two main parts, which are the heating part and the receptacle part which will receive food that it is desired to cook. The main part, also called the base, comprises inter alia a main water reservoir and a steam generating part constituted by a heating body and a secondary reservoir of small volume where the liquid is in contact with the heating body. The two reservoirs are connected by one or more orifices located on the base of these reservoirs. Water passes from the main reservoir to the secondary reservoir via connected vessels. This arrangements permits only the volume of liquid located in the secondary reservoir to the brought to boiling, the evaporated water being compensated by the supply of water coming from the main reservoir. During cooking, the temperature of the water in the main water reservoir rises by thermal conduction through the wall separating the two reservoirs, by water that connects them and the bottom of the base. One then notes a small evaporation in the main reservoir. The increase in the temperature is greater as the level in the reservoirs drops and when several millimeters of water are attained, the temperature in the main reservoir is such that steam is generated therein. When the water in the two reservoirs is exhausted, the temperature of the heating body increases above 100.degree. C. and an alarm signal is generated with, of course, halting of the electric supply to the heating body.
It only remains for the user to open the steamer and add more water into the main reservoir if he wishes to continue the cooking.
In order to avoid arriving at this extreme, various systems permitting filling have been proposed.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 450328 describes a two-stage pan, the upper stage of which is provided with a filling lip, providing with a cover to introduce water during cooking. This lip is placed on the upper part, i.e., relatively far from the production of steam, so that, when opening the lid, a steam flow of weak intensity escapes. This solution has as a drawback that cold refill water flows on the foods disposed on the cooking grid before arriving at the boiling water reservoir. There result therefrom damage to delicate foods such as fish, the pieces of which are carried through the grid into the reservoir. In addition, although placed in the upper part, some steam can escape during opening of the lid since this opening is situated directly in the cooking enclosure and causes the user to suffer bums.
The document DE 271877 describes a cooking assembly for fruits and vegetables with a device for recovering juices. A lateral opening provided with a closure permits refilling of the water reservoir. Since this opening ends directly in the boiling water tank, the water reservoir can only be filled when cold, since if one attempts to open this opening during cooking, the flow of steam would provoke serious bums and prevent the passage of cold water.
In the Document DE 382440, we find the description of a cooking assembly for generating steam. The particularity of this assembly is that the steam generated is condensed on the walls of the bell-shaped glass cover enclosing everything, this condensation water returning into the main reservoir to be again transformed into steam. The problem of addition of water is thus not presented since the water is recycled in a closed circuit. No passage is provided between the exterior and the interior of the cover; the presence of water around this cover serves to prevent the steam from escaping.
In the document FR 2759274, we find the description of a steam cooker having a heating part comprising a base structure with a water reservoir connected in its lower part to a steam producing chamber placed under the reservoir, steam escaping by the upper extremity of a tube passing through the bottom of the water reservoir. A filling orifice opens at the exterior wall of the base. A lid closing the reservoir has an opening provided for the passage of a shaft for evacuating steam issuing from the steam production chamber toward a cooking receptacle disposed above the lid. Such an appliance permits filling of the reservoir during production of steam but presents the drawback of having a shaft on which the lid is mounted. This arrangement interferes with removal of the lid and is particularly penalizing when the lid forms a cooking liquid recuperator. In addition, the steam production chamber is disposed under the water reservoir, which increases the height of the heating base. A check valve is necessary to prevent flow of steam back into the cold water reservoir. In addition, since the steam production chamber is not visually accessible, detection of scaling of said chamber is not easy.
It is noted that the known solutions do not permit extracting a teaching for the creation of a heating part or a base of a steamer permitting filling of the water reservoir without risk during cooking while preventing steam from escaping, the utilization of which is simple.